Praslin’s Centre for the Exceptional Child celebrates its 15th anniversary |13 June 2023
The Centre for the Exceptional Child on Praslin recently celebrated its 15th anniversary in a ceremony held at the Baie Ste Anne school.
This was in the presence of First Lady Linda Ramkalawan, who was the guest of honour, the Baie Ste Anne district administrator, liaison officer, past and present students, parents, teachers and sponsors.
The centre, which opened its doors on June 6, 2008, was incorporated in the Baie Ste Anne primary school to become the first school where the Ministry of Education introduced inclusive learning; an introduction which has brought much ‘joie de vivre’ and ‘sense of belonging’ to the pupils of the centre.
Addressing guests on this occasion, Mrs Ramkalawan said: “15 years is a milestone which ought to be celebrated and it is an honour for me to be able to share in the celebrations today. I would like to congratulate all the past and present students as well as thank all members of staff for their love and devotion.”
She also thanked all staff members of the centre and the Baie Ste Anne school generally for the valuable contribution they make towards the lives of the pupils at the centre.
Loona Charles and Meredith Morel, two assistant teachers, were especially congratulated for their 15 years of service. They each received tokens of appreciation from the First Lady and the school’s council chair, Agnes Quatre.
The centre also received a printer as well as a gift voucher for books at the Giraffe Book Store from the First Lady.
The centre was officially opened in 2008 by the then Minister for Education Bernard Shamlaye, under the headship of Marie Ange Hoareau as the Baie Ste Anne school’s head teacher and centre coordinator Farida Camille, alongside three assistant teachers.
One year in advance, pupils and parents were visited in order to devise programmes which were suited to each specific case. A total of 12 pupils joined on the first year with different conditions. Over the years a total of 18 pupils have joined the centre which came as an immense joy for pupils and a relief for parents.
It took a bit of time for the school community to adapt to the pupils with special needs but eventually they could blend in, in a very special way. Eventually, pupils with higher abilities could be integrated in mainstream classes and this took a bit of adaptation on both the pupils and teachers side where they study up to S5 level.
On behalf of the school, Monique Lesperance, head teacher of the Baie Ste Anne school, thanked the First Lady for gracing the ceremony with her presence as well as all past and present staff members.
“Although the pupils of the centre have special needs, we strongly believe that they need to learn and play in a conducive environment for their positive development. We are glad to see the integration of the pupils in the school community and that is very beneficial to develop their social skills.”
“I would also like to congratulate, thank and encourage Mrs Charles and Mrs Morel for the 15 years that they have dedicated to the centre. It was not always easy but you managed to put all issues behind you and carried out your duties with diligence. Keep it up and we hope that the Lord will continue to bless you with the patience, love and compassion in your endeavours,” Mrs Lesperance shared.
The ceremony was also the opportunity to remember Kelly Brioche, a young pupil who joined the school 15 years ago but unfortunately left this world in October 2015. Kelly’s mother, May-Rose Octave, and her brother were present for the ceremony and a special ‘shooting star’ sculpture, sponsored by Joseph Norah and Eva Norah was set up next to the centre’s classes in remembrance of her. It was the First Lady and Kelly’s mother and brother, both very emotional, who officially unveiled the sculpture.
The school expressed their sincere appreciation to the loyal sponsors for their generous contributions.
The Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF) gave the classrooms a new facelift, new chairs and floor mats. This is part of their yearly contributions which has been continuous for over a decade. This year, as part of ongoing activities to mark the 40th Anniversary of the Vallée de Mai’s inscription as a Unesco World Heritage Site, SIF has adopted the centre and vowed its support towards the development of pupils with special needs.
A member of the SIF Board of Trustees, Romano Laurence, Site Manager Marc Jean-Baptiste, Education and Outreach Coordinator Maria Brioche and dedicated staff members who have worked towards the project were also present at the ceremony.
Donations made to the school comprised floor tiles (from Raffles Hotel); shelves and whiteboards (from H Savy Insurance company); tables (from Mauritius Commercial Bank); furniture for the dining room (from P&J Supplies) and carpets (from Sir Denis Antoine).
Janette Camille and Rachel Bonnelame were also thanked for their continuous contributions while Chantal Rose and Aniel Marie, teachers from the school, volunteered for mural paintings while SIF staff did the wall painting. Their collaborative effort will ensure that the pupils enjoy a safe and pleasant learning environment.
To date, the centre hosts 5 pupils and 2 teachers with Linda Marie as the coordinator for the past 10 years.
The accompanying photos show some highlights of the ceremony.
Text & photos by Nadia Bedier
